Great British Sewing Bee star Sandra so happy to reach final

The 48-year-old mother of three from Wednesfield finished second on the programme to grandmother Ann Rowley, 81, from Yardley, Birmingham.

But she says she really enjoyed her time on the series.

It was her 26-year-old daughter Rebecca who applied on her behalf to be on the show and she says she was 'amazed' when the producers invited her to London for an interview.

Within weeks, she was filming the programme, fronted by Claudia Winkleman, which saw her put her sewing skills to the test against other contestants from across the country. Mrs Lavender, who has worked as a cleaner at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital for 14 years, said: "I'm really pleased the show has been such a big success but I didn't really get a true feel for it while it was going on as I think you watch it in a different way when you are in it.

"I have been watching it through my fingers at times – I've never done anything like this before."

The first her colleagues heard about her appearance on the show was through an article in the Express & Star after the opening episode.

But staff and visitors at the hospital were soon approaching her and praising her performance. She said Rebecca and her other daughters Sarah, 25, and Charlotte, 27, had all been 'so supportive' and had enjoyed seeing her do well.

She added: "I've had a few people coming up to me and saying 'Are you Sandra from that sewing programme?'

"It's strange but everyone has been terrific."

Mrs Lavender learned to sew at home at the age of 13 and has made most of the curtains and soft furnishings in her Linthouse Lane home.

During the show's tense finale she had to make a man's shirt from scratch in four hours, then use hand stitching to transform a plain shoulder bag before creating an evening gown in eight hours.

She says she was delighted to see her fellow contestant Ann win and added: "It's been a fantastic experience, and I've really enjoyed it."